If you are the type of shopper who doesn’t consider the right time to buy certain items, you’re most likely spending way more money than you need to. Due to the laws of supply and demand, almost everything we consume has a cheaper and more expensive buying season. If you can plan ahead and buy when items are out of season you can typically save a lot of money. Here are 10 popular items to consider.

1. Televisions

Buy in April and May. The Japanese fiscal years ends in March which means television manufacturers like Samsung and Sony will be very eager to unload inventory in April and May. Deals during these two months are historically better than Black Friday and the week leading up to the Super Bowl. If you are cool with last season’s model you can really score a great deal.

2. Refrigerators

Buy in May. New refrigerator models are historically released in May which means your Home Depot’s and Lowe’s of the world will seriously discount current inventory to make room for new models on the sales floor. Use this knowledge to your advantage and save up to 50%. My wife and I did this last year and saved $570 on a new Samsung fridge.

3. Clothing

Clothing and apparel are one of those things that always present buying opportunities if you shop smart. Be sure to always buy at the end of the current season for the following year. For example, right now many stores are clearing out their summer merchandise for pennies on the dollar. Buy your shorts, t-shirts, summer dresses, and flip-flops now and store them for next spring and summer. Your wallet will thank you.

4. Dishware & Flatware

Buy in June. May and June is officially known as wedding season and with it comes deals on dishware for everyone, including those not tying the knot. If you can hold out until June to buy your flatware and dishes you’ll be able to save a bundle.

5. Carpeting & Flooring

Buy in January. The peak of the pricing on new carpet, laminate flooring, and hardwood flooring is in October and November as people spruce up their home right before the holidays arrive. Use this knowledge and wait until January when prices go down substantially.

6. BBQ’s and A/C’s

Buy in the winter. BBQ’s and air conditioners are obviously warm weather luxuries and the demand plummets when it gets chilly outside. If having the newest and greatest model is no big deal for you, buy last season’s model when stores start to clear them out.

7. Wedding Decor/Supplies

Buy in October or November. The wedding season is long over which put you in the driver’s seat when buying wedding supplies as well as reserving locations. Your ability to negotiate pricing on wedding and reception locations as well as DJ’s, flowers, and catering goes way up in October and November as well.

8. School Supplies

Buy in September. I always recommend only buying the “must-haves” like pencils, notebooks, and paper in July and August. Then when school begins and stores start to clear out merchandise, stock up on all the other stuff like backpacks, calculators, and laptops. This is a great way to take advantage of clearance deals at stores like Walmart, Target, Office Depot, and Kohl’s.

9. Lawnmowers & Weed Eaters

Buy in September. If your lawnmower barely made it through the summer don’t wait until next spring to buy a new one. The best deals of the year are happening right now as stores do NOT want to store their current inventory until next year. Use this to your advantage and you can easily save up to 50% off a new mower or weed eater.

10. Patio Furniture

Buy in October. Most Americans store their patio furniture in their garage during the winter months. Well, your big box stores don’t have a garage to store the furniture they haven’t sold. So instead, they slash the prices of their inventory in October to quickly get rid of it making it a great time to buy.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg. When considering any significant purchase, always do some research to determine if you can save money by waiting until the item is “officially” out of season. While you can’t really wait 6 months for a better deal on a refrigerator if yours completely breaks, you can wait for a better time to buy if you think your fridge is ugly, getting old, or losing efficiency.

As for some related coupons, here are some of the most popular off-season deals currently on my website.

About The Author: Kyle James is the creator of Rather Be Shopping.com which is a site dedicated to helping families save more of their hard earned money each month.

Very good tips, I never would’ve thought about the TV’s and Refrigerators and all these come in handy as, hopefully, we’ll get our own place soon. However, I did start for a while now to take advantage of sales and buy during the off season. The fact that you’re not under pressure to “buy it now” gives you more chances to look for the best deal and since it’s off season, you will find it!

Great information Kyle, I have printed this list out and will keep it for reference, or at least give it to my wife who is the spender in our family. Never knew much about this, very interesting, thanks!

As I only by used, I save pretty much during any season…but…I did buy a new 32 inch flat screen TV about three years ago and it WAS in May! Total cost…after a $50.00 gift certificate…$200.00 bucks!! Now THAT was a deal 🙂

I had no idea about the flooring, but it makes sense. We bought ski clothes at the end of winter last year, which saved a ton of money. I think we got the parka for something crazy like $15. It would be $80 to buy one now.

I’ve been doing a little shopping now during the post summer clearance for my grandparents. They have very few warm weather clothes so when we go on our family vacation they’re going to need some shorts etc. Neither of them owned a pair until I purchased them last week for 75% off.